The present invention relates to a tampon and drug delivery device or combination, and particularly to a tampon in a form which carries a medicament into vaginal cavities or the like.
Medicated vaginal tampons and tampon and suppository combinations are known for delivering medicaments or drugs into vaginal cavities for various reasons such as contraception or hygienic purposes. In some instances, the tampon itself is impregnated with a particular solution or powered material. In other instances, it has become desirable to provide a means for delivering a drug into the vaginal cavity in the form of a capsule.
One of the problems with the utilization of capsulelike medicaments is that it is very difficult to properly locate and position the capsule for its intended purpose, because of the natural vaginal tendencies as a rejecting organ to flush or reject the capsule. The use of capsule-loaded tampons has been attempted, but, although the tampon is useful for initial insertion of the capsule, prior tampons utilized for these purposes could not properly locate and maintain the capsule in the desired position within the vaginal cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,739,593 to McLaughlin, dated Mar. 27, 1956, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,233 to Summey, dated May 20, 1975, show medicated vaginal tampons or tampon and suppository combinations which are designed to deliver a medicament or suppository into the vaginal cavity. However, both of these patents exemplify the problems described above in properly inserting, locating and maintaining a capsule in a desired position within the vaginal cavity. In both of these patents, the tampon terminates appreciably short of the end of the cartridge therefor to define a socket for receiving the medicament or suppository. Not only does this unduly lengthen the overall dimensions of the devices, but once the medicament or suppository clears the socket defined by the tampon cartridge, there is no control whatsoever of properly locating the medicament or suppository within the vaginal cavity. With the natural vaginal rejecting tendencies, this is a serious problem with such devices heretofore available. In fact, Summey shows a device which includes a separate container and lid for the suppository utilized therein.
Another problem in utilizing tampons for delivering of the capsules is the fact that the absorbent nature of the tampon itself actually inhibits the dissolving or disintegration of the capsule containing the desired drug. More particularly, the particular drug, in capsule form, is mixed with a carrier material which is gradually broken down by body fluids. In using a tampon to deliver the capsule, the tampon itself has a tendency to absorb the body fluids rather than permitting the fluids to dissolve the capsule. Some capsules utilize carrier materials which dissolve in response to body temperature, but in many instances, it is undesirable to await this means to activate the capsule, rather the more effective activation means of utilizing body fluids.
The present invention is directed to fulfilling the aforesaid needs and solving the enumerated problems by providing a tampon and drug delivery device which has a more effective means for delivering a capsule-form drug into a vaginal cavity, or the like, and means for prewetting the capsule and provide a more effective means for activating the same.